


To New Beginning...

by Jane0Doe



Series: Gone [7]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Adorable Jason, Age Regression/De-Aging, Anger, Batfamily (DCU), Batfamily (DCU) Feels, Betrayal, Bitter, Bittersweet, De-Aged Jason Todd, Salty, Smol Jason Todd
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:20:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27998910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jane0Doe/pseuds/Jane0Doe
Summary: ...and Old FriendsLife is full of surprises and they aren't always kind.New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings. That doesn't mean that they hurt any less though.For those who leaveandthose left behind
Relationships: Jason Todd & Everyone, Tim Drake & Jason Todd
Series: Gone [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1404406
Comments: 10
Kudos: 123





	To New Beginning...

Ever since Red Robin had gotten that call midbattle and been forced to ask Spoiler to collect something from Poison Ivy of all people, he'd been… tense.

Closed off in a way that he hadn't been in months.

Nightwing had tried talking to him about it, Bat's had tried. Hell, even Robin had tried in his own way. Yet despite it all he'd merely tensed, face unreadable and lips pressed into a flat line.

With the battle finally over and the crooks tied up, they all headed back to the cave. Each growing more concerned as Red R – Tim continued his self-imposed silence. It had still only been a few months since he started acting like himself again and it was horrifying to think that whatever had happened was bad enough to make him revert to that state.

The moment they exited the Batmobile Red was ducking backwards to avoid Spoiler who had lunged at him shrieking: " _YOU BASTARD!_ You Traitorous Little Shit! How could you! How. Could. You?!"

Each statement was punctuated by a vicious kick or angry punch that Red Robin blocked passively without rebuke.

Of course, this only worked to infuriate Stephanie further.

Dick was about to intervene when Tim finally appeared to have enough and lashed out in return with quick, utilitarian movements.

For all her passion and commitment to the cause, Steph couldn’t match up to Tim who had far more training and experience.

She was restrained within moments with a strong yet painless pin.

Though by this point the anger finally appeared to have simmered down and maybe even drained out of her completely leaving her distraught in a way that was unprecedented in the peppy blonde.

What could she possibly believe Tim had done?

"Why Tim? Just, why?” she asked brokenly; “You weren't the only one who lost him so why would you – I don't understand? Help me understand. Why would you do this?!"

"It was better this way."

This, was apparently the wrong thing to say, as Steph savagely renewed her previous attack.

“Excuse me?! How DARE YOU! How was anything better this way! We mourned him, we buried him. Again! This time without even a fucking body because we trusted Catwoman. Because we trusted You, YOU BACKSTABBING SON OF A BITCH!”

With those words it began to click within all their minds what exactly was going on. They tried to deny it, to come up with another explanation, but the only answer was betrayal.

Softly, as if speaking louder would break him, Dick asked; “what did you do Baby Bird?”

Damian wasn't nearly so kind or delicate though as he raised his katana to Tim's throat and stated viciously; “Explain Drake, and quickly. For if what Brown implies is true, I Will Run You Through!”

But Tim looked away, unwilling or unable to meet any of their gazes. Not even Bruce, who looked like his world was collapsing all over again.

It was all the answer they needed, yet also not enough.

In the end it was Stephanie who broke the impromptu stand-off. Breaking away from Tim hold, she snarled slightly and stated quietly with each word laced with venom; “Jason was alive. And Tim Knew.”

Despite knowing it was coming, it was still a punch in the gut to hear Stephanie say it.

Dick made a small, wounded noise before taking a shaky breath and pushing his own emotions aside -as he always did- and trying to play peacemaker.

“Steph, stop. We don't have all the facts. If Little W- if Jason is alive then that means he probably asked him not to say anything. That doesn't absolve Timmy, but this isn't the first time that one of us has-”

“ _None_ of this is on Jason.”

“On that we can agree.”

The tone that both Timothy and Stephanie use is clipped and to the point. A surety that has both Dick and Batman's minds moving towards the worst-case scenarios.

Damian misses the subtext entirely though and states with clear displeasure; “as much as I enjoy blaming Drake for the things, if Todd is alive then he must have play a heavy part-“

“Is that Timmy?”

The voice is unbearably younger than they remember, but the Gotham accent and slight husky undertones from excess smoking during his youth are all Jason.

Turning sharply, all of the remaining back family who have yet to actually _see_ Jason cannot help but take a step back as their minds fail to comprehend what stands before them.

Clutched tightly in Cassandra’s arms; as if the girl was afraid he'd disappear was a small child -no more than nine, no less than seven- with a dark mop of mahogany curls streaked with white at the front. The boy's freckle spattered face peaked out slightly from where he had burrowed into Cass's side once he realised they had all turned to look upon him. Dark teal eyes ringed with Lazarus green gazed up at them searchingly as he tried to confirm that Red Robin was who he believed him to be.

“Yeah Jay” answered Tim, voice shaking slightly but still gentle as he moved to remove his mask; “It's me. See?”

**Author's Note:**

> updating this series took a while as I lost sight of where I was going to take this. Thx you to all the people in my discord group chat who let me ping ideas off them so I could get back on track


End file.
